Last month, ocean scientists said they were worried about the death rate, the highest in almost two decades. Some of the mammals were underweight, which may mean they could not find enough food in the water, a possible result of climate change, NOAA spokesman Michael Milstein said.

In all of last year, 45 gray whales were found onshore, NOAA said.

Gray whales do most of their eating during summers in the Arctic and migrate to spend half the year in Mexico.